Shingles health centre

Shingles symptoms

Shingles is an infection of the nerves and surrounding skin caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox, the herpes varicella-zoster virus. Shingles results in a rash that can be mildly itchy to intensely painful. The rash appears as raised dots that develop into blisters, then dry out and crust over.

Shingles affects people who've had chickenpox before when the dormant or inactive varicella-zoster virus becomes active again.

Shingles generally affects older people, but it can appear in younger people or in people with weakened immune systems, such as people with HIV.

What are the symptoms of shingles?

Pain or bruised feeling - usually on one side of your face or body - often along with a fever, chills, headache or upset stomach. People will often feel unwell for several days before the rash appears.

Tingling, itching or prickling skin and an inflamed, red skin rash several days later

A group or long strip of small, fluid-filled blisters

Deep burning, searing, aching or stabbing pain, which may occur once in a while or last a long time

A complication of shingles for at least one in 10 people with the condition is postherpetic neuralgia. This severe nerve pain lasts for more than three months after the rash has cleared up.

Shingles triggers

Doctors don’t know why the shingles virus gets activated. As well as lowered immunity, becoming older increases the risk and suffering from stress may trigger a shingles outbreak.

Shingles pain

Shingles pain affects the nerve ending and can be very painful. If the pain becomes too great to bear, a doctor may prescribe stronger painkillers or other treatments.

Is it shingles or something else?

Small blisters that appear only on the lips or around the mouth may be cold sores rather than shingles.

The affected area becomes secondarily infected with bacteria (indicated by spreading redness, swelling, a high fever or pus). Antibiotics can help halt the spread of bacterial infection but not the shingles itself.

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